


pretty

by kiyala



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gender Identity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 22:24:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5719198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Tell me I'm pretty."</p>
            </blockquote>





	pretty

"Tell me I'm pretty," he says, but what he means is _validate me_. He's watching Iwaizumi, waiting for him to read between the lines, because he's getting so good at doing that these days. Surely, he'll understand.

Iwaizumi scowls at him. "Fuck off, Oikawa."

 

* * *

 

"Tell me I'm pretty," he says, because the boys at school are saying it behind his back, like it's a bad thing. He just wants one person to say it to his face, for it to be a good thing.

Iwaizumi scoffs, shaking his head. This time, he understands what's going on in Oikawa's mind. "The guys are just jealous of you, that's all. Everyone knows you don't actually wear makeup."

"What if I did wear makeup?" Oikawa asks, then hastily adds, "Not that I _do_ , but would you have a problem with it if I did?"

Iwaizumi stares at him, like it's a concept that he's never considered before. He probably hasn't, and that doesn't matter. What matters is his answer.

"Guess not," he shrugs. "People can do what they like, right?"

Oikawa nods, satisfied. He buys the lip gloss he's been eyeing at the pharmacy around the corner from his house, and smiles politely when the cashier tells him his girlfriend will love it.

 

* * *

 

"Tell me I'm pretty," he says, his voice cracking because he feels so ugly inside and he can't stand it.

Iwaizumi rubs soothing circles into Oikawa's back. "It's okay. You lost your temper. Just don't do it again, okay?"

Oikawa rests his head against Iwaizumi's shoulder, shutting his eyes tightly. They keep their fingers interlocked, clinging to each other for comfort.

 

* * *

 

"Tell me I'm pretty," Oikawa says with an exaggerated wink, because he can't think of what else to do when Iwaizumi drops by without warning, catching Oikawa in his lip gloss, his hair pulled up into tiny pigtails.

Iwaizumi just stares at him. Oikawa's heart sinks, his stomach twisting, but he plasters his smile to his face, determined to make light of this situation until Iwaizumi's gone. It's probably not even going to take long.

"Come here, Iwa-chan, I'll do your hair next."

Iwaizumi turns and flees. Furious at himself and doubly furious at Iwaizumi, Oikawa throws the lip gloss into the bin and resolves he's never going to wear any again.

 

* * *

 

"Tell me I'm pretty," Oikawa says the next day as they walk to school, because he's nothing if not a masochist. He does it for the way Iwaizumi shifts uncomfortably beside him and he's an idiot. He should be grateful that Iwaizumi's still walking with him to school at all.

"Is that what you want to be?" Iwaizumi asks at length. He gestures at Oikawa, trying to encompass what he saw yesterday as he struggles to put it into words. "…Pretty?"

Oikawa winks at Iwaizumi. "I've always been pretty."

"That's not—" Iwaizumi begins, then cuts himself off, sighing heavily. He opts for dropping the conversation entirely with a simple, "Okay."

 

* * *

 

"Tell me I'm pretty," Oikawa says, and he's never meant it more in his life.

He's terrified about this, even if they're not leaving the house at all. Iwaizumi's been trying. He's been getting better. He's been asking questions when he doesn't understand things, looking even more information up on the internet. He's been really good about this, after the initial shock.

Oikawa is wearing a new shade of lip gloss—one that Iwaizumi pressed into his hand the other day with an awkward, incoherent mumble—and eyeliner. He feels pretty, and he feels _satisfied_. He's allowed to be a boy, even like this. He can be a pretty boy if he wants. It's never felt like an insult to him anyway.

"You're pretty," Iwaizumi breathes, looking at him, properly taking him in. He places his hands on either side of Oikawa's face, pulling him in so their breath is on each other's lips. "You're so pretty, Oikawa. With or without your makeup. You're always pretty. Always have been, right?"

"Iwa-chan," Oikawa smiles. "If you kiss me, we're both going to get lip gloss everywhere."

"Is that a bad thing?" Iwaizumi asks, raising an eyebrow and pulling him in.

"Not at all," Oikawa replies, smiling even wider as he leans right into Iwaizumi's arms.


End file.
